The BTCC then and now: Alain Menu’s view
With TouringCarTimes celebrating its 20th birthday this month, there are few better drivers than Alain Menu to assess how the British Touring Car Championship shaped up when the site launched and how it looks now.
The ever-popular Swiss took two titles during the series’ Super Touring heyday, and returned after a 14-year absence last season to drive for the fledgling Team BMR outfit.
And while Menu may not be racing this year, he’s still a regular visitor to the paddock thanks to his new driver coaching role with BMR owner/driver Warren Scott. Menu is working with Scott to try and improve both his qualifying and race pace, with Scott enjoying a breakthrough finish of 10th at Croft last month as the season reached its halfway point.
And while Menu still harbours hopes of getting back into a race seat soon, the 51-year-old says he’s grateful for the career he’s had – and joked that he’s been saying it might be his last year racing for the last 10 years.
Menu took two BTCC titles in 1997 and 2000, the first for Williams Renault when the Super Touring era was at its height. But rather than singling out that year, Menu says he has fond memories of the era as a whole.
“It’s not such an obvious answer. I will not say there is any one year standing out – OK, I could say the first championship year with Williams Renault – but it’s difficult to single anything out,” said Menu to TouringCarTimes.
“But the Williams years are at the very top of my memory, but also because at the same time, that’s when the championship was at its best. I just loved it.
“You mentioned Grandstand and Murray Walker – it was really big. It was quite funny because people would not recognise my face so much, but it was mainly the name. Some thought I was a rally driver…but when I told them I raced touring cars they’d say ‘We watch you on Grandstand – the racing is really good!’.
“If you pressed me I would probably say the first championship – but even the Ford years were good because that’s when those cars were at the summit. They were bloody good.
“OK, there were not many manufacturers left, but at the front it was as hard as ever.
“There were a few issues on track at times, but it was a very good atmosphere. There was loads of pressure because it was all manufacturer-driven and they expected results, but at the same time it was all done in a fairly relaxed environment.”
After a spell in the DTM, Menu then enjoyed eight fruitful years with RML Chevrolet in the World Touring Car Championship before the manufacturer pulled out of the series. He briefly contested the Porsche Supercup in 2013 before a much-vaunted return to the BTCC in 2014.
Menu took time to get to grips with the still-developing Team BMR Volkswagen CC and the more robust driving seen in the modern era, before twice visiting the podium at Rockingham and Silverstone towards the end of the year.
He was hoping to return to a race seat in 2015, but has mixed views of the championship in its current form.
“For sure, it’s completely different now, it’s mainly privateers. Some teams are ex-works teams like Triple Eight and West Surrey Racing, but the manufacturers are not there anymore,” said Menu.
“Maybe the driving depth is not quite as good, but having said that, there are some bloody good drivers. It’s a different level but the racing is good.
“It’s popular again, but it’s not quite as controlled on track, and for me that is down to the level of professionalism of some drivers, and probably teams as well. Maybe they are not as controlled as we used to be.
“Last year, I was not impressed.
“In the 90s you had pressure, and you had to get the cars to the end of the race. We had 10 or 11 manufacturers and you had to be conscious of that.
“In the WTCC I think it’s bit more careful. You lean and you push, but you stay within the limit. And I think they are being even more careful this year to not damage the aero on the cars.
“Here I think people go much more over the limit and it’s a bit hit and miss with the penalties. That frustrated me a bit because there’s no consistency.
“Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s maybe the biggest difference from the 90s.”
Despite his lack of seat time this year, Menu says he’s hopeful of returning to racing in the near future.
“I’ve not given up! But at the same time I’m not chasing after drives, because they need money and I don’t have it. I’m not going to start looking for sponsorship and I could not raise the required budget,” he said.
“But I want to drive, it’s my life. That’s what I love, and I know that I’m still more than good enough to be at the top. Hopefully next year something will come up – maybe even before the end of the year. You never know what opportunities will come.
“At the same time, I can’t complain because I’ve had a great career. I’ve been saying every year for the last 10 years ‘maybe it’s my last year’
“I’ve spent 20 years being paid to drive a racing car so you won’t hear me complaining about that!”
For now, Menu is concentrating on his work with Scott, who is aspiring to close the gap between himself and his more illustrious team-mates.
Menu says there is untapped potential in the team owner’s locker, which he is hoping to help him find.
He said: “Warren and I were talking all through the winter about driving again for Team BMR, but in the end the finances dictated there wasn’t a drive for me.
“Then we started talking about coaching, and helping Warren to the next level. Warren can do much better than what he has shown so far. There were some flashes of what he can do, like Silverstone where he did really well.
“It’s difficult, because in a way it would have been nicer to start working together during winter testing because then there is less pressure. A race weekend is all a bit rush-rush and there’s the pressure, but we’re getting there. Warren should qualify in the top 10 or 12.
“It’s a goal, and once he’s there, race days should be a lot easier. It’s different when you’re fighting in the top 10.”
